is this the end?

[denner]

16 months post graft, All my stiches are out(well the knot fell behind the eye and is apparently working its way back out) and i`m trialling a new hard lens for the eye. the only problem is I can only wear it for a hort time, its very painful and my eyelid swells slighty the next day. and causes me some discomort at work. Is this part of the process? is this normal. my last appointment the new (young) Op told me if my eye can`t tolerate the lens then thats it??? is that right?? then why have I been through all this pain the graft etc for nothing? I`m so low.. please any advice welcome. has anyone gone through something like this? I wish I had gone private I feel **** eye hospital has really let me down, Rude staff, poor information long appointment, maybe im just sounding off but I really have had enogh of the whole thing.

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Denner
I'm sorry you're having such a tough time. Although I didn't have your particular problem post graft, I did have various setbacks along the way after mine, so I know what it's like when you're looking forward to what should be the solution only to find that it isn't. You don't say how long you've had the new contact lens, so it's hard to say whether it's just your eye getting used to wearing a lens again. But if you're in so much discomfort, the clinic does need to know about it. And there are so many different lens designs and materials these days, that I can't believe that they wouldn't be able to find an alternative for you if this one isn't working. Maybe piggy backing would work better for you, or some people wear a scleral lens post graft, or you might just need a different type of rgp. So do go back and discuss what options there are (and maybe ask to see the supervisor if your optom doesn't seem to be coming up with any answers).
Good luck and don't give up hope!
Anne

[piper]

As far as the pain and swelling , I can understand everything you are saying. My left eye, six months post graft, sixteen point running stitch still lin place......gives me the most trouble. I work in a dusty job and can usually get by until nearly quitting time, and then the pain just puts me on my knees. Removing the lens solves it, but the tenderness persists for hours. I am on my second or third lens, RGPs, and this is the best so far.

In answer to your question: no, you are not alone in your experience. Yes, tell your specialist of the pain. A dye test should show the contact points. Use the best gel eye drops you can get.

Best of luck. Piper

[Andrew MacLean]

Denner

It is far too soom to write off contact lenses; as Anne has said there is a very wide range of lenses available. Never give up!

Andrew

[BusyLizzy]

Hello Andrew,

You sound down.
I'm worried. It's not like you!

Have you used Celluvisc? They're preservative free drops and have eased my hard lens wearing.
Also, my ophthalmologist recommended Hycosan which is preservative free and comes in a huge bottle.
Apart from that, there's preservative free Liquifilm (not gel-like and cushiony like Celluvisc).

Is yours a PMMA lens? I haven't had a graft but on good days manage up to 6 hours with the PMMA hard lens plus Systane drops. At the moment I'm building up lens wearing time by half and hour to an hour each day, after a 2 week break from it because of inner lid allergy. I've been using the preservative free sodium cromoglycate drops for a week (a few days of Minims prednisolone before that).

We have to take it one day at a time.

[denner]

Thanks for your answers.
Does anyone know how i can obtain my medical notes as i intent to see someone private for a second opinion. I can't afford it, but i keep recieving contradictory opinions at my eye hospital that i'm not sure where i stand. Piggy backs in my graft eye don't fit because of the shape of my new cornea and a scleral lens scares the hell out of me. I'm surviving at the moment with a piggy back in my right eye and i can just do a full days work working on PC and i'm worried if this eye goes what the future holds for me and more importantly, my family

Thanks again Denner

[Andrew MacLean]

You are entitled to ask for a second opinion within the NHS. Just say to your ophthalmologist that you want to see another specialist.

Andrew

[GarethB]

Denner,

In most medical areas you will get contradictions, it was clear at the optomotrists confrecne I was invited to this weeknd, so going private you may well be none the wiser.

20 years post graft I had to go to RGP lenses. After 6 months 1 hour uncomfortable wear was all I got, but after many visist and chipping away at the problem we found the quality of my tears was to blame. We then tried different lubricating eye drops over the next coupel of onths until we decided Systane by Alcon was the best and the preservative free are better still. Initially had to use the drops every couple of hours but as time went on the frequence dropped. Changed my diet too which made an equally significant difference, two cups decaff coffee per day, no fruit juice drinks or fizzy drinks, eat whole fruit instead and eat a rhibiflavin rich diet.

Get an easy cofortable 12 hours lens wear on the original lenses.

From the confrcen I have been attending there are dozens of lenses for Keratoconus, all slightly different but under the RGP classification. What works for one is a failure for another, the only way to find which is best is to persevere.

There are a few soft lenses for KC and a new one was launched on Saturday so things are evolving all the time.

Seeing what research is being done, I really feel there are going to be some exciting things happening with soft and rigid lenses for KC over the next few years.

Hang in there.